Canby Herald Online

Looking for a little help

Canby's Vietnam Era Veterans Memorial is seeking financial help to finish the project

• By: John Baker  
• Published: 11/10/2009 4:02:02 PM
• Last Updated: 11/10/2009 4:04:15 PM

Photo By: Ray HugheyMemorial statue
The Vietnam Era Veterans Memorial continues to seek funds to complete the final stage.

Raindrops fall slowly from the body of the "Huey" helicopter suspended above the Vietnam Era Veterans Memorial in Canby.

Oregon's fall weather has arrived, but the moisture falling on the cement pavers below doesn't dampen the pride Mike Breshears and the rest of the Vietnam Era Veterans Memorial Committee feel in the project. But they do realize there's something missing.

"We are trying to fundraise, but we are really at our wit's end," said Breshears, president of the Vietnam Era Veterans Memorial Committee. "We don't know where to go to get any more money. We're desperately looking for anyone who will make a donation. We just cannot afford to finish it."

What's missing is the statue, "A Hero's Prayer," by sculptor Wayne E. Hyde. This life-sized piece of art will bring the whole memorial together, said Breshears. Unfortunately, the committee is only one-third of the way to its $90,000 goal.

"That's how much we essentially need to get the memorial pretty much completed, or at least the statue up," said Breshears.

The committee received a tough break recently when they were denied an Oregon Parks and Recreation veterans grant that would have made a huge dent in finishing the project.

"We applied for the grant and were turned down," said Breshears. "They didn't have the money for all the applications. They decided, it seemed, to spread what money they had around to smaller projects.
"It was an unbelievable blow," he added. "Everyone did such a great job on that. Beth Saul was the grant writer and did an absolutely fantastic job. We sat through all the presentations and our memorial one just blew them away.

"I can't believe we weren't afforded a grant," he continued. "Because of the economy, I guess, they were looking at smaller grant amounts to spread that money around. They didn't want to put all their eggs in one basket."

That left the memorial project at a stopping point, one they hope they can get past with continued hard work and the help of locals who believe in the project.
The effort, Breshears said, will continue.

"It's not that we're quitting, we just don't know what to do now," he admitted. "It (memorial) may sit for a few years like it is if we don't come up with some very badly needed funds. We're committed — we've been at this since 2000, almost 10 years, and we're not going to stop. We'll see it through to completion."

Breshears said the committee is looking for anyone who will do a fundraiser for the group or would offer financial donations.
If interested, call Breshears at 503-266-4527.

"I believe so strongly in that project," he said. "To me, that statue is so important. It goes with the helicopter and tells you this is a humanitarian project. The statue and helicopter together tell the whole story. It invokes the whole spirit of that memorial. It shows that soldiers are compassionate people and have a soul. To me, it even evokes what's going on in Iraq and Afghanistan right now.
"It shows the kinship we have for each other."

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